Brenda Neall

About Me

Several years ago, after a long time of being a collector and admirer of handcrafted pottery, I became interested in learning more about the making of the wares I loved to collect — the alchemy that would transform mud into pots. This led me to our local Arts Centre where I signed up for beginner pottery classes. I was hooked! The fwump, fwump, fwump rhythm of the kick wheel, the ‘dug from the earth’ smell of the clay, the wonder of seeing the walls of a pot rise from a lump of clay, the Christmas morning excitement of seeking out my finished pieces, all resonated deeply within me.

After several years at the community studio, I decided I needed to take my passion to a new level and entered a Fine Arts program at our local university college. For the next 2 years I focused on my Ceramics classes, other Fine Arts classes and attending as many ceramic related workshops as I could. At the end of my time at school, I came to realize that I still had much to learn and that my education as a potter would never end.

A few years ago we moved from the big city to my hometown of Powell River, a small coastal community in southwestern BC, Canada, where built my studio including a small retail showroom. My first love is making wheel–thrown pottery, producing functional wares that can be used in all areas of the home. Occasionally I diverge into using hand–building and mold–making techniques, including molds for a line of tiles inspired by the nearby ocean and seashore. My wonder and enthusiasm for the making of handcrafted pottery and ceramic art continues to this day.